Meet the Democrats who could lead the investigations into President Donald Trump

Wednesday 07 November, 2018

WASHINGTON – The barks of opposition from the Democratic minority may have irked President Donald Trump during his first two years in office, but that will be nothing next to the bite of a Democratic majority.

After the new Congress is sworn in, Trump's legal team is certain to be kept busy as some of the president's fiercest critics will take over powerful House committees that have the authority to issue subpoenas, conduct investigations and order hearings.

It's already easy to imagine the presidential tweetstorms that would follow a House investigation into Trump's reported financial ties to Russia or a subpoena for the tax returns he has so jealously kept from the public eye.

There are also likely to be calls for impeachment from progressive Democrats. But House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., told "PBS Newshour" host Judy Woodruff on Tuesday that such demands are "not unifying."

Pelosi promised House Democrats "will certainly honor our responsibility as oversight of the executive branch" but she said, "for those who want impeachment, that's not what our caucus is about." She said that position could change if special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian election meddling turned up "conclusive" evidence implicating Trump.

On Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell counseled Democrats against "presidential harassment," pointing out that the investigations and impeachment effort against former President Bill Clinton ended up bolstering Clinton's support and hurting Republicans.

"The Democrats in the House will have to decide just how much presidential harassment they think is good strategy," he said.